


Life's a Beach

by sagansjagger



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Beaches, Day At The Beach, Endgame Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, F/M, Friendship, Hot Mess Luka Couffaine, Kitty Section having a good time, Oblivious
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:26:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25236160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sagansjagger/pseuds/sagansjagger
Summary: When Luka Couffaine and the rest of Kitty Section spend some time together on the beach, Marinette Dupain-Cheng is more than he bargained for.Luka has no idea what she's planning, but he's pleasantly surprised to find out.
Relationships: Ivan Bruel/Mylène Haprèle, Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 40
Kudos: 152





	Life's a Beach

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rikkapikasnikka](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rikkapikasnikka/gifts).



“Oh,” Luka said, his eyes widening as Marinette stepped out of the red-and-white striped tent that served as a changing room on the beach. She hadn’t let him see the swimsuit she’d been slaving over in preparation for the trip, so when he finally saw her wearing it, he was stunned. “Oh, wow.”

His eyes traveled from her bare, navy-blue painted toes up her shapely legs. He skated over her hips, lingered on her exposed navel, ghosted over her small ribcage. Her collarbones were beautiful, he thought, and her face was even more so. She was wearing her hair down, which he appreciated. 

But the suit! The suit was a two piece, with a bikini bottom and a top with a set of teal ruffles featuring streaks of black. He had no idea how she’d made an ombre gradient like that, from the bottom of each ruffle to the top. The swimsuit flattered her curves perfectly, and Luka snapped his jaw shut from its position of hanging open like a lovestruck goof.

She smiled shyly at him, her cheeks dusted with the prettiest pink color he’d ever seen. “Like what you see?”

“You’re--It’s--I’m--gorgeous,” Luka said, his tongue rendered thick and useless in his mouth. He held up his hands. “Sorry, I’m not good with words, Marinette.”

That was only partially true. He was good with words--as long as they were lyrics. But he’d fallen back on the same excuse for most of his life, and he was reluctant to give it up now. The defense was an old, familiar pattern to him now, as he’d said the words to most people most of the time. And they were easy words to say. ‘I’m not good’ was almost too easy.

And he wanted to write her a song. He’d written her so many in the time that he’d known her, and none were ever perfect enough to capture her essence. Even three years after he’d first met her, he was still head over heels. 

If only she’d give him a chance. She wasn’t dating anyone, as far as he knew. Had never done. But she knew what his feelings were, and while she hadn’t outright rejected him, Luka was so tired. So very, very tired of unrequited love. He’d been pining for three long, boring years, and sometimes he’d think enough was enough.

But then Marinette would rekindle that love with her smile, or a touch on his arm, or praise for his songs.

He was hopelessly smitten.

And now he stood in front of her, feeling underdressed in navy blue trunks as she wore the most beautiful, most well-constructed garment he’d ever seen. 

He almost missed the way her eyes roamed over him, alighting on his broad chest and lingering on his shoulders. 

Almost.

That she was checking him out thrilled him. It lit a foolish fire of hope. He knew he wasn’t as attractive as the other boy who had caught her eye--the boy who Luka said he’d cheer for if that boy got the girl. 

Luka regretted saying that now. Regretted it fiercely, and only the fact that Adrien Agreste had never asked Marinette out soothed Luka in the middle of the night. 

But it also enraged him. How could Adrien have not seen the beautiful girl in front of him? How could he have completely ignored that she adored him? Luka would have given up music just for a moment of her adoration, and Adrien had all of it.

Marinette cleared her throat, bringing Luka back to the present moment. Heat filled his cheeks as he turned half away from her, offering his elbow to her. It was selfish to want her touch, to want her fingertips to rest on his bare skin. But he wanted that so badly.

Marinette laughed and took his arm. Then she did something he did not expect. She scooted closer to him on the sand and molded her body to his. Looping an arm around his waist, she moved his arm to rest across her shoulders and nape, placing his hand on her bare shoulder.

Luka’s brain short-circuited. He was _touching_ her, caressing her nude skin under his fingertips, leaving remnants of himself on her shoulder. His fingers felt the strap of the suit, and the fabric was such a sharp contrast to her warm skin that he couldn’t process the juxtaposition.

“Is… Is this good?” Luka said, wanting to check in with her, just in case his touching her was wrong, somehow. 

She grinned up at him, squeezing his waist. Ticklish, he laughed and squirmed. Then she looked at him from under her lashes, and just about stopped his heart. “It’s great!” she said, and Luka beamed at her. He picked up his beach bag and hers and started heading towards the water with her.

Today was going to be a good day.

No, Luka thought. A great one.

That morning the members of Kitty Section had piled into Luka’s van and driven for two hours and forty-eight minutes to Etretat beach in Normandy. The beach was surrounded by beautiful homes, imposing cliffs, and charming, white boulders. Activities the beachgoers could enjoy included hiking to the cliff top, photography sessions, cycling, horse riding, and windsurfing.

Luka didn’t care for any of that. He just wanted to see Marinette in a swimsuit. 

And maybe do some swimming with his friends.

The summer sun beat down on the sand, warming it beneath Luka’s feet. He luxuriated in the heat; while normally he liked cool temperatures better, beaches were supposed to be hot, so that the cool water would refresh him rather than freezing him.

He only hoped he didn’t start to sweat on Marinette. 

“How are your university studies coming?” she said, wrinkling her nose in such an adorable way, Luka wanted to kiss her. 

“They’re okay,” Luka said, shrugging the shoulder of the arm not currently looped around her. “Being a music major, most of my classes are about theory, you know? I didn’t expect that, but I should have. There’s very little playing that goes on.”

Marinette blew a raspberry at him. _Cute,_ he thought, desperately trying to hold onto a modicum of self control. If she were any more adorable, he’d just have to cup her chin in his hand and press his lips to hers. Then she’d part them, inviting him in, and he could tease her tongue with his and…

“Luka?” Marinette said, startling him out of his salacious thoughts. She was waving a hand in front of his face. He didn’t notice they’d stopped walking. “You okay? You kind of zoned out for a moment there.”

“Oh, uh,” Luka said, his face burning with the fires of a thousand suns. He started walking again, and she walked with him at his side. “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. Sorry, I was just, um. Thinking.”

Marinette giggled. _Cute,_ he thought again. “What about?” she said, stopping that train of thought in its tracks.

Luka swallowed. “Theory,” he said, and she nodded. “How are _your_ classes going?”

“They’re okay,” Marinette said, shrugging. “I’m not the class rep this year because I’m so busy with my Etsy business and, uh, all the other stuff I’ve got going on. But our representative is really good this year, so the class is in good hands.”

“Good,” Luka said, smiling down at her. “That’s good.”

Luka was so wrapped up in all things Marinette that he didn’t notice Juleka until he’d almost run into her. “Ahh,” he said, as he jumped back, taking Marinette with him. “Sorry, Jules.”

Juleka gave him a Look. Then, as she seemed to notice Marinette under his arm, the Look morphed into a slow, lazy smile. She mumbled when she spoke, but Luka had long been able to speak Julekese. “I see you two finally found each other.”

“Found each other?” Luka translated for Marinette, who was squinting. “I didn’t know we were looking.”

Marinette looked crestfallen. She opened her mouth to say something, but Rose interrupted her by tackling her out of Luka’s arms. He felt a chill where she’d once stood pressed up against him. 

“Marieneeeette!” Rose squealed, bouncing up and down. “Your suit is so gorgeous, I just can’t stand it!”

“Thanks, Rose,” Marinette said, carefully disengaging with the other girl, but holding onto her hands to show that she was still welcome in Marinette’s personal space. “Your suit is beautiful, too!” 

Luka glanced at Rose and his sister. Rose was wearing a pink, two-piece halter-tie bikini with magenta hearts printed all over it. Juleka wore an off the shoulder black and purple one-piece with a cut out at her waist.

 _Rose is pretty, I guess,_ Luka thought. And his sister was, too. Naturally. But neither of them had anything on Marinette. 

Ivan and Mylene, previously splashing each other in the water, crossed to the group. Ivan had his arm around Mylene much like Luka had had his arm around Marinette, and he felt a pang of envy that they were still standing together. 

Just as he was about to swallow his jealousy, Marinette released Rose and eased her way under Luka’s arm again. She placed her hand on his waist and leaned into him, shooting thrills throughout his body and into his brain.

Ivan gave him a strange look, but Mylene smiled at Luka. “So, uh,” Ivan said, rubbing the back of his neck. He pointed to their beach towels with prints of Ladybug and Chat Noir laid out on the sand. “Mylene and I are already set up over there. You all wanna set up camp?”

“Sure! I’ll set my towel up next to Luka’s,” Marinette said brightly, warming Luka from his head to his toes. 

“I’m cool with that,” Luka said, a dopey grin finding its way to his face. 

The group moved lazily to the towels that Ivan had indicated, set their bags down, and started to unpack. Ivan had brought the cooler from the van, so they had lunches, snacks, and water. Luka was past drinking age, but he didn’t need alcohol to feel great when he was spending time with his friends--and especially Marinette. 

True to her word, she spread her towel out on the sand next to his. Hers was festooned with multi-colored sandals, which Luka found hilarious. She knelt down on her towel and dug through her back, her tongue poking out the corner of her mouth. _Cuuuuute_ , Luka thought, desperate to kiss her once. 

Just once, and he could die happy.

“Looking for something?” he said, sitting down with his ankles crossed and his hands placed behind him. 

“Yeah,” Marinette said, grunting in a way that Luka thought was precious. “Ah, found it!” She pulled out a tube of sunscreen so huge, Luka wondered how she could have lost it in the first place. She offered him a shy grin, and held the tube out. “Luka…”

Luka’s eyes widened. _She can’t possibly mean… what I think she means,_ he thought, his gaze flicking from the tube to her pretty lips turned up in a coy smile. _Can she?_

His words found him rather than the other way around. “Yes, M-Marinette?”

“Could you… put some sunscreen on my back?” Marinette said, and Luka’s face grew hotter than the sand.

“I, um, could, because if that’s what you want, I’m not gonna object,” Luka said, his words tumbling out of his mouth to make room for his foot. “Um, what I mean is, of course I can help you, Marinette, if--if that’s okay with you? I don’t want to do anything that’s not okay with you, because that would be _terrible_ \--”

“Luka,” Marinette said, scooting closer to him on her knees. She cupped his cheek and smiled down at him, leaning forward so far that all he had to do to kiss her would be to crane his neck a little. “It’s okay with me. That’s why I asked.”

Gosh, he wanted to kiss her in that moment. Just one kiss.

But he had a job to do. He pushed himself to a sitting position and took the tube. Luka drew a deep breath through his nose and uncapped the sunscreen. “Okay. Okay?”

“Sure,” Marinette said, stretching out on her belly on her towel. He got a good look at the back of her suit for the first time; the top had an oval cut out with several thin straps criss-crossing her skin. For the second time that day, he marveled at the construction of the suit. She was so good at making clothes; had he a drop of her talent with music, he’d be famous by now.

Then she removed the shoulder straps on her suit, pushing them down her arms, and Luka just about choked. He was focused so entirely on her suit that he'd missed the creamy expanse of revealed skin beneath. The straps on the back taunted him, showing him thin ribbons of skin--skin which he was allowed and even encouraged to touch.

The thought made his mouth water.

Then she did something else that stunned him: she gathered her hair in one hand, raising the inky strands above her head. Her nape was the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen. Her neck was so pretty, he felt like crying.

“Luka?” she said, turning her face to look up at him. “Are you going to apply the sunscreen? I don’t want to get burned.”

“Oh, uh, of course!” Luka said, and hastily squirted the freezing cold cream into his hand. Too hastily, because he ended up with too much. “Oh, uh…” He wanted to wipe it off onto his own leg, but didn’t, because this was Marinette’s sunscreen and she needed it. He set the tube down and rubbed his hands together, smearing the cream across his fingertips. 

Then he touched Marinette. She shivered under his fingers as he spread the skin protection across her neck. Luka noticed how tense her muscles were in her nape, and as he started kneading them with one hand, she let loose a little moan which curled his toes. He lifted his hand away, but she arched her back up, pressing her neck into his waiting hands again.

His lips quirked. “You liked that?”

“Yessss,” Marinette said, hissing like a disgruntled cat. She’d made so many funny noises, endearing her further to him. He hunched his shoulders, digging his thumbs into the small of her back and rubbing in tiny circles. She lay back down and groaned. 

Luka was in heaven. He would have drawn the line at touching her shoulder, but now he got to make her feel good? He was going to take this opportunity and run with it. 

He dragged his thumbs up and down her spine, compressing the muscles there. He kneaded her deltoids, cupped his hands over her shoulders, and massaged her neck. Then he placed his thumb on her back for pressure. While keeping his fingers in the same place, he moved his thumb across her back and towards her neck with each squeeze. 

She twitched and moaned, arching into his touch and making him feel delirious with pleasure. He had no idea that he could make his crush respond to him in such a way. 

His shoulders were starting to be sore from hunching over. And his knees knelt awkwardly on the towel resting on the sand. And his hands were achy from giving the backrub.

But he didn’t want to stop.

Marinette took pity on him, seeming to sense his discomfort. “I think the sunscreen is well and truly spread around now,” she said, grinning sheepishly at him. “You can stop.”

Luka reluctantly took his hands from her warmed skin. He’d worked the sunscreen in, for sure. 

Marinette fixed her suit so it wouldn’t slip off, and sat up. She stretched, pushing her chest out and letting out a little whimper that shot heat straight through his body. He took a breath through his nose and looked away, suddenly flustered. 

“Luka?” Marinette said, tilting her head at him. “Did you need help with your own sunscreen?”

“Y-Yeah,” Luka said, gulping. “I mean, yes, please. If that’s what you want to do, I mean.”

She smiled, and his heart melted. “I do. Go ahead and lie down.”

He’d just given her a backrub. He didn’t expect her to treat him to the same courtesy.

But she did. 

Marinette straddled his hips, sitting down on his butt and making his face burn from his cheeks to his black roots. Luka heard the squirt of the sunscreen tube, and shivered as she rubbed the cold cream over his back. 

Then she kneaded the sides of his back with her thumbs and fingers. She kept her fingers spread apart, providing more coverage and distributing the pressure more evenly. She applied pressure from the bottom of her finger rather than the tips, making his eyes roll back into his head.

It felt so, so good. He’d never had a backrub before, and he hadn’t realized how wonderful they could feel. She massaged his tense shoulders into warm pliancy, and he almost fell asleep in the heat of the sun.

Eventually, she finished, and tapped him on the shoulder. “You okay?”

Luka opened his eyes, blinking blearily. “Did I fall asleep?”

“You may have,” Marinette said, and moved off of him and over to her towel. He regretted the lack of her weight on his butt. “We should apply sunscreen to the rest of our bodies.”

The fantasy of his applying sunscreen to her beautiful legs struck him almost violently, but when he looked up, she was already doing that for herself. He sat up reluctantly and reached into his bag for his own tube of sun protection.

Shortly after they’d covered themselves in sun block, Marinette dragged him into the water with the rest of the group. He splashed Jules and Rose, arm wrestled in the air with Ivan, and cheered Mylene on with the rest of Kitty Section as she body surfed in the waves. 

Luka swam out to the ocean, parting the waters like a fish. His powerful arms pulled him through the water; his just-as-powerful legs propelled him quickly forward. He never felt more free than he did when he was swimming. The sea had a music all its own, with waves slapping the beach and animalistic songs.

And Marinette kept up with him. She was an excellent, fast swimmer; at one point, she overtook him, looking back with a saucy grin. _We can’t have that,_ Luka thought, feeling an air of competition rise from his bones. 

Marinette squealed as he tore after her, darting through the water like a mermaid. Luka chose to let her flee for a while, and then bolted after her, plunging into the sea and cutting through the waves like a razor blade. 

Luka came up next to her in the sea, and seized her waist, tickling her mercilessly and pulling her against his chest. Marinette giggled obscenely, throwing her head back and resting her head on his shoulder as she flailed her arms and legs.

They started to sink, so he let her go so they could both tread water. Her smile was infectious; Luka couldn’t stop grinning at her, taking in the sight of her flushed cheeks and twinkling eyes.

She slugged him in the shoulder. “Rude, Luka Couffaine!”

And Luka laughed. 

Today was a good day. 

No, Luka thought. A great one.

After floating on his back for a while near the beach, Luka realized he was starving. He stood up on the seafloor, and tilted his head this way and that to let the water run out of his ears. 

“Hey, guys,” he said, getting the attention of the group. Ivan and Mylene blinked at him; Rose and Juleka approached arm in arm. Marinette beamed. 

“What’s up, Luka?” Juleka mumbled.

“I’m super hungry,” he said, hearing his stomach growl. “Shall we take a break for lunch?”

“That’s a great idea,” Ivan said, rubbing his belly. “I’m starving, too.”

The women of the group agreed. 

Luka strode back to his towel, followed by the rest of Kitty Section. Ivan picked the huge cooler up in one hand and set it down on Marinette’s towel for her to dole out the lunches, because her parents had made the group mini-spinach quiches. She passed out a quiche and a water bottle to everyone in the band, and they all sat down on their respective towels to eat.

Luka had just finished polishing off his quiche, and was looking for another in the cooler when Marinette tapped him on the shoulder. She offered him a shy grin. “Hey, Luka…”

“Yes, Marinette?” Luka said, her name rolling off his tongue. He would never get used to saying it.

“You still hungry?” she asked, her eyes dancing. She was planning something, he could tell. He just didn’t know what.

“Yeah,” Luka said, offering her a cocky grin. As the day had gone on, her confidence had rubbed off on him, and he was feeling more and more comfortable in her presence. 

Until she surprised him again.

She placed her untouched quiche halfway in her mouth and leaned forward, clearly intending for him to take a bite of it while it rested between her lips. 

Luka stared at her, feeling his eyes widen to previously-unknown sizes. His jaw dropped. He pointed at himself, dumbstruck, and was stunned when she nodded.

Feeling scalding heat burn his cheeks, Luka scooted forward on his knees. He placed his sweaty palms on her towel and leaned towards her. Then he closed his teeth around the quiche, careful not to touch his lips with hers, as much as he wanted to. He took his bite and pulled away, not missing her thoroughly disappointed look.

 _Why does she look down?_ Blood rushed in Luka’s ears, and it was only when that subsided that he realized the amicable chatter of the rest of the group had completely stopped. He glanced away from Marinette and met the eyes of Juleka, Rose, Ivan, and Mylene. They were all staring at Luka. He ducked, feeling his face go even hotter at their scrutiny. He swallowed his quiche in one painful gulp.

Ivan stood up. “Luka, can I talk to you?”

“Alone?” Luka said, also standing. 

Ivan nodded, and Luka blinked at him. Ivan was never separated from Mylene. _This must be something serious,_ Luka thought, following the large boy away from the women.

Once they were far enough away from the girls that they probably wouldn’t be overheard, Ivan turned to Luka. The boy’s gaze was thunderous. “What are your designs on Marinette?” 

“What do you mean?” Luka said, shifting uncomfortably on his feet. 

“I mean,” Ivan said, gesturing back towards the towels, where the others appeared to be comforting her, “when are you going to ask her out?”

“I wasn’t planning on--”

“Why not?” Ivan said, stepping towards Luka. Luka backed up. He wasn’t scared of Ivan, per se; the boy was a gentle giant and would never hurt anyone, but the boy was bigger than Luka and much more intimidating while pissed off. “She wants you to ask her out.”

“What?” Luka said, his eyes widening for a third time that day. “Seriously? You’re not pulling my leg?”

“You’re kidding, right? You gave each other backrubs,” Ivan said, counting the activities of the day off on his fingers. “You tickled her in the surf. And she just offered you a bite of her quiche _from her mouth._ You really don’t see it?”

Luka whipped his head around to observe Marinette. She looked devastated, her shoulders slumped and her hands covering her face. He turned back to Ivan. “I’m… I’m an idiot.”

“You really are,” Ivan said, not without sympathy. He crossed to Luka and patted him on the shoulder. “But you can make up for lost time.”

 _Make up for lost time,_ Luka thought, a thrill zinging through him. Marinette Dupain-Cheng wanted him. Him! Luka Couffaine! And all he had to do was ask her out.

He whooped, jumping in the air and pumping a fist. Ivan blinked at him. “Someone’s excited,” Ivan deadpanned, but his smile belied his tone.

“Thanks for the talk, Ivan,” Luka said, squeezing the other boy’s shoulder. “I’ve got to take care of something.”

Luka turned on his heel and bolted across the sand, almost missing Ivan’s, “Good luck.”

Seeing Luka approach, the girls scattered like pigeons being rushed at, leaving Marinette kneeling on her towel. She offered him a watery smile and wiped at her eyes.

“Marinette, I--” 

“Luka, I--”

They spoke at the same time, and then stopped, blinking at each other. Luka chuckled. “You first.”

“No, you go,” Marinette said, gesturing at him with an open palm.

They watched each other for a few awkward moments, and then spoke at the same time again: “Do you want to go out with me?”

Marinette and Luka burst into sheepish giggles. She found her words first. “I thought you’d never ask.”

“That’s because I was a fool,” Luka said, taking her hand and bringing her wrist to his lips. She flushed prettily. “I’m sorry, Marinette. I never should have wasted so much time.”

“It’s okay,” she said, cupping his cheek with the hand he wasn’t holding. “I should have asked you out myself rather than dropping so many hints.”

Luka winced. “How long have you been dropping hints?”

“Months,” Marinette said, a shy smile growing on her beautiful, kissable lips. She licked them, drawing Luka’s attention. 

“I’m sorry, Marinette,” Luka said, leaning forward, into her space. She didn’t shy away. He dropped her hand and gently grasped her chin. “I’d like to make up for lost time, if I may.” She gave him a hooded look, jump starting his heart. “Can I kiss you? Please?”

“Please,” she said, closing the distance between them. Luka’s eyes fluttered closed as her soft lips met his. Cheers erupted all around them; Kitty Section was apparently as excited as Luka was for the relationship to start.

Today had been a good day.

No, Luka thought. A great one.

**Author's Note:**

> Are you interested in reading or writing fanfiction? Are you looking for a community of like-minded and supportive people? Then join the [Miraculous Fanworks](https://discord.gg/mlfanworks) Discord server! 
> 
> We are always welcoming new members, and would love to see you. We offer a variety of conversations, from fic discussions to writing support to fanfiction prompts. We even have monthly server-wide events and group writing projects! 
> 
> Come join today!


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